“Green Energy Park will bring clean energy to thousands of Bridgeport homes. This project is creating 21st century jobs, bringing millions of dollars in revenue for Bridgeport, and ensuring our kids and grandkids breathe cleaner air.” – Mayor Bill Finch
Bridgeport, Conn. (June 26, 2015) – Bridgeport’s Green Energy Park has made major progress this week. With a foundation in place, the fuel cell’s components have been installed.
Green Energy Park, which is a clean energy project in collaboration with United Illuminating (UI), will include 9,000 solar panels and a 2.8 Mw AC Fuel Cell facility on an old and currently unused dump. This project will power an additional 5,000 homes with clean energy and create up to 92 jobs.
“Green Energy Park will bring clean energy to thousands of Bridgeport homes,” said Mayor Bill Finch. “This project is creating 21st century jobs, bringing millions of dollars in revenue for Bridgeport, and ensuring our kids and grandkids breathe cleaner air.”
Now work has moved into the next phase of assembling and tying together the fuel cell components. By next month the service entrance equipment will be installed which will connect the fuel cell to Bridgeport’s energy grid. Come fall, the fuel cell will be complete and producing energy.
Click here for photos at the new fuel cell: http://bit.ly/1e1sJzu.
Click here for a map of where the new fuel cell and solar panels are located: http://bit.ly/1NaUOjw.
In Bridgeport, fuel cell energy currently powers 15,000 homes, and the city has plans to increase that number to 19,000 in the near future.
U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal says Bridgeport is “leading the way” in Connecticut and nationally in clean energy projects, with North America’s largest fuel cell, the second fuel cell that is nearing completion and the installation of 9,000 solar panels on the capped landfill.
“These projects aren’t just good for the environment,” said Mayor Finch. “They are good for our economy. They create jobs. They help reduce asthma and breathing ailment rates for kids. They grow our tax base. And, it’s proof that our city can heal from the sins of our past and move toward a cleaner and more prosperous future.”
Work is ongoing at the solar site, and the first panels will be installed in early July. In addition to the job and green energy production, the Green Energy Park is expected to earn the city $7 million over the course of its 20 year lease.
Bridgeport is leading the way in green and fuel cell energy to ensure the city is prepared for the coming shift in our economy. A recent report by The Northeast Electrochemical Energy Storage Cluster (NEESC) calls for Connecticut to increase its existing 28.6 megawatts of fuel cell technology to up to 175 megawatts. With this fuel cell, Bridgeport ensures that green energy jobs come here.
Click here for the recent report by the (NEESC): http://bit.ly/1J2jV7a.
In February, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency honored Mayor Finch with its Individual Leadership Award for his “demonstrated leadership in responding to climate change and through engaging with his community and other officials. Mayor Finch’s priorities have included promoting energy initiatives, enhancing sustainability efforts and making Bridgeport one of the greenest cities in America.”
For more information, please contact Brett Broesder at (203) 257-1049 or brett.broesder@bridgeportct.gov.